Bad wood? Bad pickup?

[Fikealox]

Hey guys,

I just bought a Jackson DK2s (alder, rosewood), with a sustainiac neck, STK1 middle, JB bridge. Unplugged, the guitar kicks butt. It's got a great action, excellent fretwork, etc... but plugged in, the tone doesn't do it for me at all. Compared to the SMs I've become used to, the JB sounds muffled, flat, not open or clear, lacking in treble, and harsh, and the harmonics suck. I realise a lot of that comes down to the fact that the JB is wound a lot hotter than my SMs, but I'm concerned that the actual wood of the guitar is an issue too, because my assessment of the JB seems very different from the assessments of other people.

So I guess my questions are twofold:

-Do you think my assessment of JB vs SM is fair? (If it is, maybe the wood isn't a huge factor).
-If the wood is a factor in how bland and flat it sounds, how can I overcome that? Will a low output pickup fix or accentuate the problem? I really don't want to have to resort to EMGs.

I have had my eye on both VHIIs and Abraxas, (because i like that singing, smooth leads), but I'm not sure which would be better if the Jackson has "bad wood".

Thanks heaps!

[f.sardis]

does it resonate well when unplugged? do you generally like the acoustic sound of it? if yes, then something is wrong with the electronics.

[Fikealox]

Thanks dude, it sounds okay unplugged - definitely less lively than the M2 (with the Stormies in it), but not unpleasant. I wish I had a better ear for woods :-\

[FernandoDuarte]

Thanks dude, it sounds okay unplugged - definitely less lively than the M2 (with the Stormies in it), but not unpleasant. I wish I had a better ear for woods :-\

get a tuning fork, hit it on the table and put it on the headstock and put your ears on the body, you'll listen to the tone of wood, then compare with the M2...

I would try buying some used pickups and change or borrow of from a friend... anyway, a cheaper way before shot BKP in a guitar that you can find not liking...
Beside in the end you can get the BKP in another guitar and sell this with original pickups...

[Fikealox]

That's a good point! Thanks heaps, Fernando :) I think I'll start by sticking in a pickup I know I've liked in other guitars, use that as a benchmark to see what I want to change tonewise, then go for BKPs.

[f.sardis]

no need for tuning fork just hit any of the strings and stick your ear on the wood and listen to the sound.
i take it you have already played around with the pup height and the action, if not, you know you should.

[Lazy_McDoesnothing]

I think it's the JB's fault.  I hated the one that came in the bridge position of my SLSMG when I bought it.  I used to hear people go on about how much they liked the JB, but it just wasn't for me.  Since then I've put a set of Warpigs in there and I couldn't be happier.  Yeah a bit different from JB and Warpig compared to the Stormy Mondays and JB, but I think you just have to find the right set and it'll be fine.  Good luck in your search!

[Fikealox]

Thanks, guys :) I'm starting to be reassured that it's just the pickups, too. I've checked it every which way, and it seems just as resonant as my M2. It just seems to have a different, less lively, more balanced timbre when strummed unplugged.

[ailean]

How happy are you weilding a soldering iron? If it was me I'd have the Stormy Mondays in there to give myself a direct comparison. Ok it will take a couple of hours and waste some stings, but then you'll know.

My money would be on the JB not being up to your expectations. It's a weird thing with sound, when you move from one level up to another and then hear what you were used to before, it sounds much worse than you remember! (Does that make sense?)

[Antag]

My money's on the JB being the problem too: If the guitar doesn't lack resonance or sound flat/lifeless when played unplugged, then it can hardly be the woods/construction at fault if it does when plugged in.

Besides, I had a similar experience with my RR1T - swapping out the JB for a Holy Diver made an astonishing difference.

IMO the JB is a really lousy choice for a "stock" pickup from Jackson.  I've since swapped one out of my custom Kelly (also for a Holy Diver), my SL3 (for another HD) & my KV2 (for a PK) & each time it's been like getting a brand new guitar...

[Fikealox]

Awesome, that's really reassuring, guys :) I'm totally at ease with a soldering iron (I was a navy electronics technician in another life), it's just the restringing of floyds that's discouraged me from jumping right in and doing a swap straight away. I definitely agree that sticking the SMs in the Jackson will be the smartest thing for me to do now.

I'm glad you guys don't think it's the wood - that was my main concern. Now it's just a matter of doing the pickup swap, then the more fun process of figuring out which BKP I want to go for. I definitely want an Abraxas set in my next guitar, but I might go for a VHII for this one...

[FernandoDuarte]

About the Floyd, put something (cloth, etc) under the bridge, it will keep the bridge in the almost same position, having less work to do...

But hello, you bought a F.R.'ed guitar, you deserve the pain to change string :twisted:  :lol: (just kidding)

[ailean]

it's just the restringing of floyds that's discouraged me from jumping right in and doing a swap straight away.

I can see that :)

We've got 1 guitar (not counting the acoustic) that isn't BK'd. It's a Tokai replica of a 335 and i love the sound of a semi, but every time I play it I can't get away from the fact that it sounds rather muddy and lifeless compared to our other guitars, and a little voice in my head keeps saying 'get some Stormy Mondays', which is really off putting :D

[Philly Q]

We've got 1 guitar (not counting the acoustic) that isn't BK'd. It's a Tokai replica of a 335 and i love the sound of a semi, but every time I play it I can't get away from the fact that it sounds rather muddy and lifeless compared to our other guitars, and a little voice in my head keeps saying 'get some Stormy Mondays', which is really off putting :D

Total nightmare changing pickups on a 335 though, you only want to do it once!

[Lazy_McDoesnothing]

it's just the restringing of floyds that's discouraged me from jumping right in and doing a swap straight away.

You technically don't even need to change the strings.  Here's what I do:
-Dive bomb the trem all the way and put a cloth under they floyd so it sits in the neutral position
-Unlock the strings at the nut and detune, but leave the strings in the tuners
-Flip the guitar over(being careful to keep the trem in place) and take out the springs with a needlenose pliers
-Now you can flip it over and slide the trem off of the knife edges

Voila, now you can set your trem aside with the strings still locked in the bridge until you're done with the swap.  Just make sure when you're tuning up you have your cloth in there to keep the trem's knife edges level with the body. 8)